Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr. Ahmed Zahir has stated maintenance of the King Salman Mosque built in Male’ would bear significant costs to the state.
Speaking at the Government Oversight Committee of the Parliament, Islamic Minister Zahir said the King Salman Mosque is in a highly corrosive environment due to its proximity to the sea. In this regard, the Islamic minister noted the outdoor units of air-conditioners placed in the mosque have already started to corrode. He said the mosque would need frequent maintenance work, which would be costly.
The Islamic minister further revealed the maintenance issues of the mosque have been shared with the Saudi delegation that arrived in the Maldives for discussions on opening the mosque. He added a request was made to the Saudi government seeking assistance for the maintenance of the mosque. However, he stated there were no discussions on changing any materials of the mosque.
Speaking at the committee meeting, Islamic Minister Zahir clarified that the government has not been able to open the mosque yet due to delays in receiving the required permits from the Saudi government. Noting the Saudi government is planning on opening the mosque ahead of next Ramadan, the minister said a request has been made to facilitate arrangements to open the mosque earlier. He said the Saudi delegation has pledged to share the requests with the King of Saudi Arabia and make the necessary arrangements accordingly.
The King Salman Mosque is a donation for the Maldives by King of Saudi Arabia Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al-Saud. The mosque was designed and constructed by Turkish contractor Alke-Turmaks. The mosque is designed to accommodate 4,000 worshippers at once and showcases Islamic culture and heritage.